Behavior - Landscape Interactions May Create Super-Spreader Environments: Vigilance-Olfactory Interactions Across Land Type and Disease Transmission Potential in the Banded Mongoose

Abstract

A complex suite of drivers can influence infectious disease transmission with behavior and landscape spatial dynamics contributing importantly to epidemic patterns across host-pathogen-environmental systems. However, our understanding of the interaction between landscape and host behavior and its influence on spatial variability in pathogen transmission is limited. In the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo), a novel tuberculosis pathogen, Mycobacterium mungi, has emerged in Northern Botswana, which is transmitted through olfactory communication behaviors. We evaluated how associations between landscape type and mongoose behaviors affect the frequency of olfactory communication behaviors and pathogen transmission potential. We used remote sensing camera traps at den sites to eliminate observer influence across human-modified and natural landscapes (n = 18 troops, 18,229 detections of banded mongooses from 7,497 photographs). Using generalized linear mixed models, we identified a significant effect of vigilance and the interactions between vigilance and landscape, and vigilance and troop count on the frequency of olfactory behaviors. Troop count-vigilance interactions had a negative influence on olfactory communication. Vigilance, however, appeared to have a bidirectional association with olfactory communication depending on land type. In lodge areas, vigilance was associated with increased olfactory behaviors, but in landscapes with expected increases in predation risk (i.e., national park and urban land-use areas), vigilance had a negative association with olfactory behaviors. The interaction between behavior and landscape type may have the potential to create "super-spreading" environments, or transmission hotspots, where behavior-landscape interactions increase pathogen shedding and transmission potential.

Identifying social behaviours related to disease transmission in banded mongoose from accelerometer data

“…Camera traps previously provided that landscape type variably influenced M. mungi transmission behaviours at the den site (Alexander & Nichols, 2020; Fairbanks et al, 2014). Our results showed that accelerometer‐derived data may also be used to identify these same mongoose behaviours critical to pathogen transmission across larger landscape areas.…”

“…We herein report the use of an Axy‐5X model accelerometer (TechnoSmArt) on captive mongoose as a proof‐of‐concept study to evaluate if accelerometers could be used to identify key mongoose behavioural activities relevant to M. mungi transmission. These behaviours included bipedal vertical vigilance, running and scent marking activity previously shown to vary across the landscape in this system (Alexander & Nichols, 2020). We also include evaluation of the data analytics and modifications to the data analysis works flows, updating and expanding upon current methodologies.…”

“…In this region, extremely high density of wildlife such as elephants and dense vegetation make it difficult and dangerous to traverse on foot and prohibit the use of a vehicle. Furthermore, banded mongoose respond variably to humans across the landscape due to differences in human reactions to mongoose and persecution of this and other wildlife species (Alexander & Nichols, 2020). These factors limit the study of mongoose behaviours and pathogen transmission potential across complex landscapes, requiring alternative approaches to be advanced.…”

“…These behaviours included bipedal vertical vigilance, running and scent marking activity previously shown to vary across the landscape in this system (Alexander & Nichols, 2020). We also include evaluation of the data analytics and modifications to the data analysis works flows, updating and expanding upon current methodologies.…”